Nankurunaisa
by RavenStanse
Summary: How Haji handled the aftermath that remained behind after Saya's hibernation. Eventual HajixSaya.
1. The Awakening, Chpt 1

_Haji and Saya fanfiction by RavenStanse, all original copyrights belong to the original creators of Blood and I make no copyright infringement on their work._

_This fanfiction was written to provide a story centering on Haji during the thirty years Saya slept while keeping to the characters of Blood Plus' original personalities. The first chapter is small in comparison to the rest of the chapters as this is an on going project. Saya will awaken in this story, but not for a while. Though there will be chapters with Saya through Haji's memories to show his deep devotion to her. _

_Please read and review. _

**The Awakening**

Overwhelming pain set every nerve in his body on fire as air filled his lungs, a major change from the previous warm liquid that resided in them. Haji could only lay in the pool of his blood as his body tried to regenerate, layers of debris had him weighed down among the crystallized remains of Amshel. He was feverish from the haze of pain, the lack of blood, and his Chiropteran body's attempt to repair the damage. Each ragged breath drew a razor sharp ache from inside him where Amshel pierced his stomach, his lungs burned as air dried out vessels still trying to heal.

In the stupor of his plight, Haji wasn't aware his visions were induced by his fever, he could see Saya holding her hand out to him as he fell off the cliff. He waded through his memories until they were inter meshed with each other, from the time he was first introduced to the spoiled girl she'd been, to the moment when her selfish exterior was melted away, and she comforted him when he cried.

The amount of time he spent under the rubble from the Met was unaccounted for, when his azure eyes opened, it was to a wall of darkness. It was longer still before Haji was able to crawl out of debris. Wearied from his fragile recovery, Haji simply laid in the starlight and adjusted to the ambient noise of the city around him. There were still construction signs, machinery, and signs of recent activity so he couldn't have been asleep re-cooperating for long.

Incredibly pale, weak, and slightly confused, he forced himself to his feet while it was twilight to seek shelter away from the rest of the world. Thus was how Haji slowly pulled himself together for his Queen, desiring only to be reunited with her. For the first time in decades, anger became his companion and it's target was Red Shield. Despite his Queen's willing assistance, Red Shield had been unable to prevent his separation from her at a crucial moment, the time before her long sleep. His fist collided with a wall of stone from the side of the bridge he was leaning against, "Saya."

The air was incredibly cold, but he felt nothing save the desire to recover his Queen and be at her side.

"That is my wish."

It took hours before he found a suitable establishment in which to lay low in while he finished healing. First, he needed a bath, his nose wrinkled at the stench coming off him. His clothes were tattered, requiring mending beyond his talents, even for all his years of dedicated service to Saya he was just a simple man who'd never learned to repair nearly shredded clothing to mint condition. As such, he concluded with fragmented thoughts that his condition was worse off than he'd believed. Haji would need to lessen the strain on his exhausted body in order for the mending to stick. Blood stained every inch of his outfit, leaving him startled when he leaned over the bathroom sink, staring into a blood caked stoic expression only slightly contorted with pain. There were blue and red veins finely knitting over his face, down his throat, azure eyes piercingly searched his exposed arms, hands, then tore open the remainder of his shirt. Every fiber of his person was aflame with some degree of pain.

The worst sensation was being incredibly thirsty, parched. Such degree of injuries sapped what reserved power and energy given to him by Saya's blood. He doubled over the sink, mouth gaped open wide as he choked, crimson goblets projected into the ivory sink. The world swam around Haji until his head collided with the carpeted floor.


	2. Welcome home, Mr Goldschmidt, Chpt 2

Please read and review.

Welcome home, Mr. Goldschmidt

Whispered voices buzzed around him, low murmurs from unfamiliar people. His gray eyes snapped open then immediately shut as he perfected a human growl of pain from the sunshine streaming warmly through opaque windows and straight down onto him. An arm lifted to cover his eyes, hindered slightly by an I.V. cord latched to the back of his left hand. He squinted, attempting to adjust to the brightness of the room before familiar eyes returned his stoic expression. Julia smiled at him before gently patting his hand, "I'm glad to see you're awake Haji."

He shifted, tossing a leg over the edge of the bed and throwing the bedsheets away from him, his perfect control gripping his immediate rage and checking it safely.

"Haji, it's too soon, you lost a lot of blood."

"Saya."

"Haji..."

Gray eyes pinned her to the wall, followed by a hand to the doctor's throat which physically did pin her to the wall. "Where is Saya ?" Julia's eyes widened briefly then settled to reflect a cool gaze at him, spectacles reflecting his own impassive face. "She's asleep. She tried to stay awake as long as possible for you. You missed her by a few days Haji."

The Chevalier's grip tightened respectively to the news before abruptly loosening as Haji stumbled backward. "I want... to see her. I need to see her." Julia's fingertips brushed over the red impression on her throat before they readjusted her glasses. "You'll need more blood before you can steadily function right now Haji. If you can stomach to stay here one more day for the transfusions, I can arrange for your transportation to the shrine."

Her only response was a visible nod before Haji turned his face back into the window, sunlight making the dozens of red angry lines on his face and throat visible. His skin was nearly as opaque as the glass window he was staring out of. Julia had made note while he was unconscious that his Chiropteran arm was healing at the same stage as the rest of his body, but maintained a human resemblance, rather than the reptilian appendage he wore in the past from Saya's destructive warpath in Vietnam.

Under Joel's instructions, Haji's presence wasn't made known to Kai or Diva's children. Only Joel, David, and herself were aware Haji survived miraculously. When Haji was included on his decision, his only response was to nod faintly that he understood while Joel explained Red Shield's new purpose in life was to ensure Diva's children and Saya were given the best life possible. Joel and his successors after him would provide Saya and the children with anything they needed to live a happy life during their active years.

"Why?"

Joel eyed the stoic man for a moment, debating his answer, "Saya may have made the mistake to release Diva, but it was the first Joel's fault for Diva's actions. Joel should have never separated them the way he had,Saya made us realize this. Diva and Saya should have been given the best life possible, but instead Joel used both as test subjects for different theories. Red Shield wants to make amends for the lives they were never allowed to have, for the lives lost as a result, and for the pain you both went through to secure a better future for us all."

Haji merely turned a fraction, his face hidden from view by the unruly mess of freshly washed hair, his gray eyes impassive as usual. He was etheral in a way, out of time from the rest, but still there. Joel mentally mused that Haji was a stunning figure of a man with the refined control even the devil himself would envy. Beneath the absence of outwardly signals, Joel knew Haji was reviewing what was said and would in the end do what he believed best for his Queen.

"Red Shield will continue to protect the queens?"

"We promise we will not let another 'Amshel' be born to ruin their futures again Haji," Joel firmly stated. They decided all threats to the future of the queens would be referred to as an 'Amshel' and that the original sin laid with the original 'Joel'. Every protector who was human would carry the name 'David' and every physician presiding over the queens would be named 'Julia'. The queens would leave a human legacy for each dedicated member of Red Shield. They would be the pint of blood and pound of flesh buffer between the queens and any grievances to those who followed Amshel's plans for Diva's DNA.

"Then... Saya will live for tomorrow and some day... she will smile again."

Joel wasn't certain, but he thought he saw a smile on Haji's lips though it was gone before he could get more than a passing glimpse at it.


	3. Human Legacy, Chpt 3

_A/N: Please read and review. I wrote this in one sitting today and if the writing is enough for some, I'll produce more chapters._

_Megan-taichou: Thank you for the reviews and feedback responses, your ideas were helpful in the continuation of these chapters!_

_SheDevil85: Thank you for the responses, I do try to write well!_

_BlackVelvetBand: I hope you enjoy the longer chapters!_

**Human Legacy**

Julia fulfilled her promise to Haji, David escorted him to the shrine where Kai had left the cello case and sword stashed away near Saya's cocoon. There was a security measure installed to permit certain access to the shrine. It was keyed only to Joel, Julia, David, Kai, and now Haji's patterns. At first he was alarmed at this, until he was reassured it was for her protection.

"She will never be left unguarded. The cameras in here are only on when unauthorized individuals are admitted into her resting chambers. Haji, we do this out of respect for those of us who can enter here. When Kai is here with Diva's daughters the cameras remain on. We take no chances. Please do not remove Saya from here unless there's an immediate threat to her, we've taken precautions to have this area secured. Haji . There is no reason to fight anymore." With those parting words, Julia rested her hand on his fully healed human arm and deposited a small card into his almost healed Chiropteran hand. The hand which was originally removed by Saya in her blood lust, the same hand which was healing over to appear more human than Chiropteran. Julia wasn't sure what was happening to his body, but she said his Chevalier blood was repairing all the damage as if it was wiping the slate clean.

Haji raised the card to eye level. 'Haji Goldschmidt', the card read with several other numbers written across it. "You're a Goldschimdt now Haji. It's a credit card, use it for what you need, there is no limit on the account. Please use it to take care of Saya when she awakens. Your future happiness is on Red Shield now."

"Why Goldschmidt?"

Julia and David glanced at each other before David spoke up, "In Joel's Diary, he wanted you to be Saya's partner. You didn't have a last name, so it was assumed you'd receive Joel's name when you were to marry Saya." Haji closed his eyes and tilted his head down over Saya's cocoon, freshly thrown as she was only brought here four days ago. His hand rested heavily on her bed of webs, lost in the rhythmic beating of her heart from within and the soft sound of her breathing. Julia left a case of blood packets within the room housing Saya and departed with David in tow, the man was just as protective as Haji. Without Julia he'd have camped out until the Chevalier showed up to relieve him and she'd be stuck without companionship.

"Suppose he took that well?" David muttered behind Julia as they descended the stairs. Time would tell. By the time they reached their vehicle they could hear the sounds of a cello barely within earshot.

They had their answer.


	4. The Mysterious Arrangement, Chpt 4

_A/N: Thank you for the reviews! They're lovely, I appreciate them all. If you have suggestions please feel free to include them. I will do my best to write longer chapters – I want to write the story with how I feel Haji would act, based off the Blood anime series. Would that I could get the manga, but that'll have to wait. -- RavenStanse _

**The Mysterious Arrangement**

For weeks, Haji practiced on the cello only when his body permitted the strenuous activity. It was a strain for his muscles that were still mending from the accident. In that time, the Chevalier only left long enough to secure pink roses, items to mend his outfit before frustration caused him to simply find a replica of the one he wore at the Zoo. Haji left a pink rose with his blue hair ribbon wrapped at its stem only when he left his Queen. While he was gone, the cello remained in the same place Kai had left it leaving no one the wiser, except Julia and David who occasionally left him the box of blood packets neatly hidden inside the case.

As Saya's first and only Chevalier sworn to never harm someone for their blood, he needed little when he was routinely with her in the past, but to heal the damage he sustained, he had to suffer the taste of blood. Since Saya was sleeping for the next thirty years, Haji had no choice, but to accept the offerings Julia presented to him on their routine visits. Julia was merely helping to quench the ravenous thirst his body forced on him by supplying a constant amount of blood. In that way, he maintained his morality for Saya . The brightness of her spirit, demanding their kind live with human ethics because at one point, they were both human in the past from different prospectives. While he was born of human parentage and grandfathered into the Human race, Saya was made to play the role of a human through ignorance of her own species. Even now, Haji was uncertain if at the time Joel was cruel to have misled her. His devotion, love, and loyalty for Saya transcended his birth as her Chevalier; in the decades he spent as her Knight, protector, and companion his love only grew stronger for every hurdle she overcame. He was the support when the world would crush her spirit.

It took a piece of him when he woke from his accident at the Zoo, feeling numb, yet alive. His confusion to his state of being only caused Saya more grief, a consequence to her stopping his mortality, one which he did not regret because it meant he would forever be with his Saya. Joel may have placed the nefarious events on the head of the first Joel, but Haji knew if he had forbade Saya from going to the ruins amongst the Zoo, she would have forgotten Diva. The Saya of then was bubbly, easy to distract, he would have remained in the tranquil world Joel carved for them safe from the rest of humanity. Events may just well have continued that he would still have been born her Chevalier, though Saya would have been horribly embarrassed to admit to Joel that Haji was dead, only to see the young man walking up behind her moments later.

Again, the edges of his lips curved with a minuscule touch of mischief, the original Haji being unburied through the sifting of memories. For thirty years, memories were the only comfort he could anchor himself to, for his Saya.

----

The young man dressed in a vintage suit of black and impressively white ruffled blouse beneath it worked with the finesse of a magnet in the throng of women at the shopping market. His dark, slightly curly, hair rested freely over his shoulders occasionally floating behind him as he navigated the crowds in search of another rose for his beloved lady. On occasion his left hand would slide through his hair causing the women staring him down to sigh or giggle, but none of them drew his notice. He walked apart from the rest of the world with only one goal in his mind, the perfect flower. Haji continued to bandage his right hand, the spidery veins which disappeared from his face and throat were still visible on his right arm, a particularly ghastly sight in comparison to the beauty of the rest of him. Julia complimented his recovery through the use of her supply of blood. While the Queen slept, Julia only had Haji to run tests on, a willing patient provided she didn't press her science too heavily on him or she'd notice he'd develop a brooding manner at her approaches to draw blood from him.

There were differences in the blood of Queens and Chevaliers, Julia was certain, if only since Queens had to maintain a steady supply of nutrition whereas the Chevaliers were walking food vendors for Queens, only needing to sustain new blood in their diet when grievously injured.

_"There, Haji, done for today, what are you going to do now?" Julia lifted the vial of blood into a container marked with a bio-hazard logo then tucked the entire thing into an unmarked lunch bag. Haji's presence was still unmentioned between Red Shield and Kai, despite the young man was now a Red Shield member. Joel felt it best to leave him preoccupied with the children rather than with the remaining Chevalier._

_"I do not know." He rolled his white sleeve down, reaching out to take his coat off Saya's cocoon where he had metaphorically draped it around her. "Her rose is wilting, will you get her a new one?" Julia's eyes were hidden by the reflective glow on the surface of her lenses, but beneath it, her tone told the truth, she was amused._

_"Perhaps."_

With that short clipped answer, Haji left the shrine with one hand tucked into a pocket, the issue of finding a rose placed at the foremost goal for his day. Not that he'd share his list of things to do with Julia.

The crowds of people in the market were boisterous as usual, the only silence found were the gaping few seconds the female vendors would double take at his approach. The first girl who had hesitantly approached him weeks ago at a florist stall lived to tell all her gossiping girlfriends how handsome the man was face to face. They all loved his impassive body language, it gave him an air of aloofness, intangibility, and unfortunately, made him the direct attention of every available young woman in the market. Every few days, they'd note, he'd saunter into the market place with a hand buried in pocket, eyes stoically staring straight ahead. There was only one florist stall he visited regularly because it alone had the brightest, biggest pink blossoms. The vendor had taken to saving the prettiest flower specifically for him every few days, knowing he'd be by without fail just after noon to pay for it.

Joel's accounting page was simplistic with Haji's purchases, a single rose every few days, the same price, over and over. The card was a good way to keep track of Haji, to ensure the last Chevalier was still around. The spreadsheet never failed to cause Julia some amusement.

With a quiet step, Haji waited by the vendor's stall for the previous customer to be served before offering a very small smile to the elderly woman, "Good afternoon." "Oh Haji, you make an old woman like me happy to see you. A pink rose again? I've got this one set aside just for you," the woman extended a prepackaged rose to him, it was in a see through plastic container with some cold wrappings at the bottom to preserve the flower. "Same as always for you Haji." At their first acquaintance, Haji had been referred to as Mr. Goldschmidt, but found he preferred his simple first name instead. Through the amount of purchases, it went from formal to basic first names; much to his relief.

"Indeed. Beautiful." Haji was pleased, the rose was as large as his hand, almost the same pink as the first rose he'd ever given Saya. He handed her the card, bringing up the charge which would immediately be shown on Joel's monitor. If Haji knew of the fine attention paid to him and his purchases, he never commented.

To protect the rose from the sun, the woman wrapped it in a dark blue material as she'd done with the rest before handing him his card and purchase. "In a few more days then, Haji! I wish you'd tell me who the lucky lady is." She only grinned up at the man, before chuckling as he offered her no information before gliding off with confident steps back the way he'd come. Of course, after he left, all the young women from the market crowded around her shop to purchase pink flowers. They each had the intention of boasting they were the mysterious young man's special lady.

And so, weeks after weeks, the mystery continued.

_---------_

_A/N: Thank you everyone for the great feedback! Keep it up!_

_ Evil-Ai: Wonderful suggestion, I was able to get my hands on some fansubbed Manga with your assistance to help explain Haji's aversion to drinking blood. Very helpful! _

_Lelila15: I hope you're enjoying the chapters that follow as much as I am when writing them! _


	5. An Aristocratic Reputation, Chpt 5

_A/N: Another one, feel free to send in suggestions, reviews are appreciated, and I'm glad so many are enjoying this story!_

_Black.Kuma: Thank you for the compliments on how I'm portraying Haji! I'm trying very hard to keep him with the anime personality in Blood Plus' episodes. I'm glad you're enjoying my story. I do love making Julia the push behind Haji's interactions, I felt it was something she would do. It's also very fun to center the attention of young girls on Haji. _

_Koori Youkai Hime: Please leave more feedback to keep me on track with the characters! Thank you for reading!_

_Hesunohana__: Parlez-vous francais? J'ai parle francais aussi! _

**An Aristocratic Reputation**

"Haji, can you play anything else?"

Reflective lenses blinded him briefly when he lifted his head up to respond, "Of course." His fingers paused in their position on the cello's neck, resting on the concluding measure of Bach's piece. "You never play anything else...," Julia began.

"It is her favorite."

"I see. You play it for Saya, does she prefer any other songs?"

Haji was silent as he thought over the question, dark azure eyes somber before he shook his head. "No. It was the first song she taught me." Julia mused to herself, fingers curled under her chin before a slow smile spread over her lips, "Haji, why don't you see if there's another piece at the music store Saya would like?"

"If that would be her wish."

"She'd be delighted to wake to a new song you learned for her, it would be romantic Haji." Julia smiled, baiting him, yet still he didn't react. Haji had the suspicion Julia was trying to force him to express his feelings for Saya as he had that night not long ago. His fingers flexed at the neck of the cello, releasing the strings and uncurling from the position they had cramped from.

"Excuse me for interrupting," called David entering the shrine, "but Kai and the children are coming." He cleared his throat, "Haji..." The Chevalier nodded, replacing the cello within the confines of its case before advancing to the door, "Where.. would I find a music shop..?" Julia passed a card into his hand which he pocketed before strolling out.

"Wonder when his ice exterior is going to fall away."

"You mean, when he'll thaw out and realize we're not an enemy?" David remarked.

"He has to understand we owe him and Saya our lives...," Julia responded.

"He's spent countless decades wandering without Saya only to have to tell her to fight when she wakes up and suffer her lack of memory... Give him the time to do things his way, Julia. Joel wouldn't prefer to hear you're pushing at him..."

"I'm only doing what Saya would have wanted... she'd want him to live while she's asleep."

"And he will. He stirs up plenty of attention in the market -- that's without even playing the cello."

-----

Tic-_tock_. Tic-_tock_.

Avery sighed with his head between his palm, elbows propped on the counter watching the clock hand move with plenty of boredom expressed on his face. Deep blue eyes, cerulean in hue, followed each jerk of the second hand on the analog clock. _Honestly, there has to be something to do other than sit here, _Avery thought with a moment of passing melancholy. Lately business at the shop resembled the snail's pace of a tortoise in a winter afternoon.

"Ugh."

He slammed his head into the counter top, jostling several magazines off their holders and spewing them across the floor. A groan fell from his lips as he shoved his hands down with a slap and got up, a flick of his head to show his irritation. Rounding the corner of the desk, he knelt and swept the magazines into neat piles, replacing them in their stands then stood, glancing around. A hand pressed to his temple, "I should have never volunteered for this."

At that moment, the bell to the door rang as a man walked into the shop, dressed from the wrong era with impressively dark azure eyes and similar wavy hair. Avery squinted at him from across the room, frowning, "Look sir, this isn't a costume shop. It's two shops down and around the corner." Waving toward the direction he meant, Avery turned around and returned to his seat, sighing.

"I am not looking for a costume," came the response quietly, but firmly. Avery spared another glance, "Oh?"

The man stood before him with one hand buried in his pocket, leaning back a bit in a stance that clearly meant he had business here and intended to remain until it was taken care of. His slightly narrowed eyes focused on Avery faintly intimidated the shop keeper. Pale fingers rested on his desk with a business card visible between two fingers. Admitting his humiliation, Avery bowed his head in apology then took the card, flipping it to see who referred the gentleman to his shop. With a grimace, Avery noted the person was none other than Julia.

"What can I do for you...?"

Haji let his gaze linger on the young man for a few fleeting seconds before scanning the entire shop, "Music."

"Well, we have plenty of that, any specific type, sir?"

"Sheet music for a cello."

"Ah, level of skill?"

"All."

Avery actually blinked. "Performer or casual player?"

"Casual." Avery suspected he was going to get very short clipped answers for the rest of the transaction. There was a pounding sensation at his temples getting worse by the second. Broodingly, he stalked over to a section of music on the wall, fingering several selection he procured five and laid them upon his desk for the Haji's inspection.

"Ave Maria." Haji tapped the sheet music by Bach. "Would you want to test it?" The look Avery received was less than friendly, he raised his hands in defense, "Just to hear how it actually sounds." Drawing a key from within the desk, Avery proceeded to the back of the shop and unlocked the storage room, a cello case brought into sight and offered to Haji. Inclining his head to the shopkeeper, Haji unfastened the case and inspected the instrument. He brushed an experienced hand over the strings, "It hasn't been tuned."

Fidgeting, Avery shuffled over to a shelf and revealed a tuner. Haji shook his head and pointed at the piano near the corner of the store. Without complaint, the shopkeeper went over and pressed the tuning keys until Haji was satisfied. Avery examined his customer's handling of the cello case with veiled interest, watching how the man manipulated the turning pegs and fine tuners before beckoning at him. Nodding, Avery ambled over with the sheet music and inserted it into the music stand.

What he heard from Haji's playing was deeper than Ave Maria, the shopkeeper was in awe at the skill and emotion pouring out of the old cello. Haji's eyes were closed, only tendrils of hair adding character to his face as he played without expression. His knees held the cello in place on it's end spike, cradling it in position with bow held properly at a horizontal position to the strings, nestled above the bridge. With precision only known to those who played for years, Haji worked with the cello and made Ave Maria a song of personality. It _moved_ the audience, and that was the shopkeeper plus a few more customers who wandered in at the melody leaking out into the streets.

"That's... that's breathtaking."

At the concluding note, Haji opened his eyes to the curious expressions of several people and a dazed shopkeeper. When the applauds occurred, Haji put the cello down into its case and gathered the sheet music.

"What is the price?"

Avery shook his head, "If you'll come here and play something every few days, I'll let you take whatever sheet music you want."

With his hand drawn back to his pocket once more, Haji nodded and strolled toward the shop exit, "Very well." He held the new sheet music in front of him as he left, having paid no more attention to anyone in the shop than necessary. The departure gave him the appearance of an arrogant aristocrat, a reputation so far from the truth as calamari was to peanut butter.


	6. Small Steps First, Chpt 6

_A/N: Hey everyone, thank you for the reviews, I'll continue to write chapters either every day or every other day for _Nankurunasia._This fanfiction is going to focus on Haji before Saya's thirty year slumber completes. Please continue reviewing with your interpretations, any questions you may have, and of course, suggestions are always welcome!_

_My apologies, Haji's eyes are blue not gray, they appeared gray to me for some reason. I'm editing the chapters to reflect this!_

_Rhinegirl: That's such a great compliment, I do intend to write professionally some day, my fanfictions are just to help hone my skills. Unfortunately, I focus on one fanfiction at a time, but please keep reading and reviewing this one! _

**Small Steps First**

Laughter ricocheted through the crowd as a child with black tresses ran in circles chasing a butterfly. The escalation rippled off him, slightly infectious to onlookers wearing smiles. Occasionally the mother would scold her son, attempting to quiet him, if not shoo the butterfly away altogether. However, the insect was trying to settle on the bundle of flowers at her breast, clutched delicately between arm and palm while an order was placed from the fabric merchant. Her spare hand would bat at the insect with mild irritation and only send her son squealing after it with delight.

Around noon, once more, Haji appeared in the market place gliding through the people with intention of purchasing another fresh flower. Unfortunately for Haji, it was while he stepped behind the woman carrying flowers, that the butterfly also changed course and led the young boy straight into his stride. Distracted with thoughts focused on a new song for Saya, Haji could not help, but stumble into a mess of arms and legs with the boy. Silence fell over the thick population of female occupants when the man fell over the boy, though he had rolled gracefully to keep the boy from suffering more than a tussle in the dirt.

"Oh my heavens!"

The mother of the spry boy gasped, turning a bright shade of red at the sight of the two, her son breaking into an infectious laughter and pointing at Haji. His hair was unraveled, messily strewn over shoulders and face, "Hm." Spindly fingers brushed his dark locks from his eyes before those deep azure orbs focused on the boy with a slight cough. "Josiah! Look what you did! Tripping this poor man! _Apologize_." A firm grip on his arm lifted the boy to his feet and similar to a hen, his mother clucked over the disarrayed clothing and lack of manners toward the man still seated on the ground. Haji rested a hand on his upraised knee, peering up at the energetic woman fussing over the child.

Josiah pressed his hands behind his back and was about to offer his sincere apologies to Haji until the aforementioned butterfly decided at that moment to flutter over Haji's head before settling on the unruly mane of hair adorning it. Shrieking with delight, Josiah pounced on Haji with a vigor known only to children, drawing a gruff sound from the Chevalier at impact.

"Josiah!"

Angled face turned away from child and mother, Haji allowed himself to be molested by the ill mannered child until Josiah caught the butterfly between his hands and stumbled off him. One bandaged hand and one plain hand steadied the young, excited boy glowing over the capture. "The beauty of a creature is dampened when captured. You should remember that, little one." Haji drew himself to his feet, fingers brushing off the pieces of dirt and dust off his pants and coat. Azure eyes heavily resting on Josiah who still continued to beam up at him, offering the cupped hands for his inspection.

Josiah's mother was stifled by the mysterious man's interaction and her son's lack of fear, that she gave no protest when Haji knelled down to peek into the hands. His own hands slid over the child's until the butterfly was exchanged, then offered up for the child's inspection.

"It's so pretty!"

"But prettier when free...," Haji murmured to the child who took his hands and forced them open.

"If it's free to fly around then everyone can enjoy it's beauty?"

Haji almost smiled, nodding faintly to Josiah. "Indeed."

The mother just about fainted, wrapping an arm around Josiah and pulling him back, her expression somber, "Sir, I'm sorry, he's truly never this erratic with his quirks..."

"It is no problem," Haji sauntered off toward the flower vendor, leaving a bewildered woman in his wake. The Chiropteran was referring to his Queen when he remarked that creatures are prettier when allowed to freely roam instead of being caged. He felt remorseful for the path Saya traveled several decades ago which led to her last confrontation with Diva, her sister. Grief blocked Haji from releasing his firm grip on the history they shared, the basis for his own development and vigilance while Saya slept. The Chevalier merely ventured toward the flower vendor with a hand buried in his pocket, a single white bandage visibly waving as he strolled away from child and mother. Haji would never have the life he'd dreamed of so long ago at the Zoo. Those days were forever gone when reality sifted into their perfect paradise in the shape of Diva. The epitome of all evil a Chiropteran could create had been in the shape of his Queen's twin sister, but things could have been different had Joel not been a scientist analyzing a new specimen. With his head tilted back enough to glance at the sky with ease, Haji pondered the possibility of Saya having an aunt or fellow Chiropterans in the form of previous Chevaliers. Luck was at their side when he finished off the last of Diva's Chevaliers, nearly costing him his own life. Still, one prick of Diva's children's blood should be enough to permanently remove him from Saya's life, he supposed. There were still so many unexplained characteristics he was aware of and no one to inquire from.

At a distance, David merely shook his head, "He's still adjusting." Lewis sat in the passenger seat, chewing on a dessert plate, "It's been weeks." The blond man grimaced at Lewis' absorption of food, "You can't turn back over a century's worth of control so quickly."

"He'd be different if Saya was still awake," Lewis licked his fingers with a pop at the end of his extraction, "she'd pull him out of his shell."

"She stayed awake as long as she could, but he still didn't make it in time."

"Think it hindered Haji a bit more that Kai was the one who took her to the shrine?" Lewis rested an elbow on the window, "After all, Saya said she wanted to live with both of them. I bet Haji is confused about his position now."

David lowered the binoculars, "Haji doesn't know what else he has to do, he has no reason to continue fighting. Saya and Diva's blood enzymes were used to counter the reactions of Diva's singing at the Opera House. He'll have to pave his own path until she wakes up in thirty years."

Lewis sighed, "But, do you think he can stay sane during that time?"

"He'll have to, for Saya's sake."  
----

"Haji! I saw the little scuffle, at least it happened before you bought this!" The cheery flower lady handed him a bright pink rose with familiar cool cloths to keep it preserved on his return trip. A swipe of the gold card brought up the transaction on Joel's screen with a few minutes deviating from the time he normally purchases the roses. Haji glanced over his shoulder at the boy child now tearing in circles around his mother at the fruit vendor, a roll of green fabric held erratically in his arms. The edges of Haji's lips lifted as he chuckled, a genuine sound rarely heard even by Saya in the last two decades. It felt relaxing to laugh at the antics, a weight lifted off of him as he leaned against the flower counter watching Josiah spin and twirl around his mother. Children had ways of chipping at the armor of even the toughest men, forcing their shields to crack away piece by piece. Little did Haji know or care, but David also felt a weight lifted off his chest when he saw the older Chiropteran laughing. Lewis snapped a picture of the unusual sight, "For Saya," he told David with a wink.

Unlike most afternoons where Haji would leave with the flower, he lurked at the flower stall and enjoyed the crisp breezy air. Not that his presence went unnoticed, because there were few if any who didn't recognize him as the individual pink rose purchases that normally visited just after noon. Groups of young girls would flit toward the flower stall before shyly giggling and running off. It wasn't until it occurred over twelve times that the flower lady finally put her hands to her hips and scolded Haji.

"You're forcing my customers away with your intimidating beauty, Haji! Now they'll never buy my flowers. You're drawing attention away from them by leaning there with the midday sun shining on your young face. Now see here, don't get that smug look, young man, you're right full of mischief of late! That special lady finally rousing to your frequent courting? Oh, did I say something wrong? Why so grim?!"

The older woman meant no harm in her statement, frowning at how quickly Haji went from a bright cheery mood to a dark, brooding, and quiet appearance. He bowed his head to the vendor, drawing his purchase in hand as he wandered away from the gaggle of girls.

----

"Damn. We were making progress," David rubbed his forehead, resting the back of his head against the car seat. "He'll get there, isn't that what you said earlier?" Lewis grinned at his troubled partner, Joel's new focus for Red Shield apparently causing him some headache or another.

"True."

"Either way man, how's Julia doing?"

David didn't answer Lewis this time which only made the big man chuckle.


	7. All In A Wish, Chpt 7

_A/N: Whoo... I was going to post a chapter yesterday, except I lost control of my vehicle in the rain and decided to just take the rest of the day easy, my apologies for those waiting for the chapter!_

_Tutti Frutti: I'm glad you enjoyed, please keep reading and reviewing!  
_

**All In A Wish**

_If one word could describe the impressive feeling of the fog hidden ruins, it would be 'suffocation'. Sight was heavily limited by the particles of water floating around freely, clinging in the thousands to the surfaces of obstacles, appendages, items, and people. Especially two people caught in the morning fog at the Zoo._

_"Haji!"_

_Saya's voice echoed through the gray mess clouding her vision, "Where are you?" Not a sound save her voice penetrated the opaque expanse as she wandered around in circles, playing a childish game of hide and seek with Haji. Not quite exactly a game of hide and seek so much as Saya had wandered away from him and found herself lost._

_"Haji!" Saya hissed breathlessly, scared of being alone. Her greatest fear was being alone, a fear foreseen by Joel nearly twelve years ago when he introduced Haji to her at the fountain. Once beautifully arranged hair hung limply around her face providing a very homely image for her as she took to carefully climbing over small stumps of columns from the remainder of the ruins still standing. _

_Breathing a bit heavily from the panic rising in her at the separation from her companion and the lack of visibility around her, Saya ended up leaning against a wall. Slumping down in a rather unlady like manner, Saya tossed her hands in her lap of pink skirts and pressed her head against the wet wall with a frown._

_"If you hold that expression too long, Saya, it'll freeze that way."_

_Her head whipped around in one direction then another, "That's not funny Haji!"_

_"Marco...," came his amused response._

_Saya's face temporarily contorted with agitation, washed away as she climbed to her feet with assistance from latching onto the wall, "Polo!" She cried in response, holding her hands out in front of her searching. Each time she heard his response, "Marco," he was further and further away according to her ears._

_Joel may frown on Saya's inability to understand those around her, but she knew when they went back to the mansion, he'd start on her for her disarrayed person. Yet, she didn't care in the least as she stalked through the fog following Haji. When he stopped responding to her, she grew desperate, "Haji?" The lack of ambient noise disturbed her in a way she couldn't quite place. As with any caught in the thick fog, Saya's ears were bombarded with the unique sound of water droplets impacting on her hair, her clothes, it was a very quiet sound often ignored, but sometimes, when a person was focused on everything around them, they'd hear it. The sensation of droplets too tiny to see individually coating her arms in a thin film of condensation drew a shiver out of her._

_"Ha..haji?"_

_Morning was only just beginning leaving her in the twilight dawn for at least another hour if she didn't find her way out alone or meet up with Haji who always seemed to manage his way out with relative calm. Saya sighed, wrapping her cold arms around her waist as she shuffled around in the mist, her dress was soaked at the hem with the dirt that had collected on it from the moisture around her._

_When her mood was completely deflated, Saya lifted her head as a voice came through the fog, "Haji?" However, the voice was purely feminine, beautifully sung and orchestrated. The sound emitted from the singer was heavenly, fluid grace, a product worthy of being bottled and cherished. Saya felt herself guided through the ruin's maze of collapsed pillars and upturned cobblestones by the melodic undertones in that voice. _

_Her feet found their own way between piles of loose footfalls, over dangerously slick surfaces, the only focus she had was on the location of the voice's origin. Delicate fingers were wrapped in the folds of her skirt as she clambered with the grace of a child in a store filled to the ceiling with fragile breakables. With little regard to her surroundings, Saya had traveled farther from the beginning of the maze than during her escapade of playing Marco Polo with Haji._

_She paused when the voice drizzled out of hearing and tried to retrace her steps, feeling around with the tips of her toes for areas to safely step in. The fact Haji was still not within immediate reach finally drove her to her senses._

_"H-haji I'm lost...," she murmured, "and I don't know which way to go."_

_The little princess of the Zoo stood in the center of the fog with no finite evidence left of her path into the mist to tell her which way to go back. A shiver found it's way down her spine, collapsing her arms around her waist again. She was lost and incredibly confused, a sense of loneliness embedded within her chest from the absence of her companion and the melancholy of the singer's song._

_Saya sat in the mess of her skirts on the ground sniffling, occasionally calling out Haji's name with an emotion Joel would have been surprised to learn about. Just as Saya would have given up her hope of escaping the fog maze before afternoon chased away the mist, Haji found her._

_"Saya, what are you doing?"_

_The pink imp glanced in the direction of the voice, her brown-red eyes filled with tears. From a will deeply set inside her, Saya launched herself at Haji and clung to him, drawing reassurance from his presence. Her fingers dug into his shirt as her face was pressed into his chest. Haji remembered a situation long ago where the actions were reversed, his own arms forming a protective circle around her._

_"Haji."_

_"Where did you go, Saya?"_

_He rested his chin on her damp hair, chuckling at how soaked she was. _

_"I went looking for you!"_

_"I called 'Marco' for what seemed an eternity and you never answered."_

_Saya sniffled in his shirt, drawing another chuckle, "Stop laughing at me, Haji, that was mean to hide from me."_

_"Hm. Why were you sitting on the ground, your dress is probably ruined. If you wanted a new one, you only had to ask Joel," he teased, earning Saya's shove at him, enough so that he had to pull back for her to peer up at him. As with always, he was entranced by her brown-red eyes directed at him, a finger gliding over her cheek to brush aside her tears._

_"You were crying?"_

_"I-i thought you left me," she hiccuped, "like everyone else who never wanted to be around me, even the servants leave after a while."__She still sniffled, "And I didn't want a new dress, but I suppose now I need one. This was my favorite." Her eyes sparkled faintly with relief at finding him and a bit of another emotion, still unnamed. Fingertips stroked the hair from her face, a slow smile forming on Haji's lips, "Saya, I have been by your side for twelve years, I will never leave your side."_

_He gently coaxed her into his arms with a soft tug at her elbow, pulling her against him to rest his chin on her head, "I promise you." Saya only curled further into his embrace with him running his slender fingers through her lengthy tresses, counseling her. 'No, I wont break my promise willingly, Saya,' he'd thought at the time, suspended in a place outside of reality in the middle of the heavily misted ruins._

Haji rested his head against the cocoon containing his life long friend, companion, and Queen. The gentile vibrations of her life within counseled him during her slumber because without his contact to her in even this minute way, he was certain to lose his sanity. As a Chevalier who suffered from her own pain and his lack of presence at the end when she finally succumbed to sleep ate at him daily. He was unsure if he'd forgive himself for confessing his feelings to her before what he was certain she'd presume was his death. Even still, he flexed his weaker hand bandaged from sight for the spidery veins still occasionally visible on his arm. Haji permitted his memories of their time together to fill his days, only vacating the shrine where he remained by his love when David or Julia made him aware Kai and the children were coming for a visit. They were sporadic and spaced out in a way Haji was certain Kai was trying to catch him off guard.

Haji was not interested in meeting the young man with the two new queens or at being brought to the notice of the two potential dangers to his Queen or his own life. The Chiropteran made it clear to David and Julia his position for the new Queens would be unavailable unless directed into anything other than ensuring their existence was not in danger. Except if Saya ordered him to act any differently, he would prefer to sustain a very distant arrangement with the girls. He opted out of an existence his fellow Chevalier Riku suffered before his death. There was only one woman Haji would submit to and she slept behind him, comforting her only remaining Chevalier simply by living as he had asked. His wish was complete, he would live by her side eternally. Now he had only to complete her wish, to travel the world with her him and her sword.

When she woke, he would provide that wish.


	8. The Hunted, Chpt 8

_A/N: Another chapter, please read and review. I hope you all enjoyed the last chapter. This chapter focuses more on David's interactions with Haji._

_Bella Shia: Thank you! _

**The Hunted**

Papers laid in disarranged piles everywhere on the floor of David's house, each containing different explanations and prices. Smears of ink crossed out over certain fabric types, idle images of gowns strewn under tables and chairs, the only depiction of tidiness offered to his poor house came in the shape of those samples Julia considered with resolute interest on his coffee table. He never knew how stressful planning a wedding could be until Julia dumped a multitude of magazines with wedding suits into his lap. Disarmed from the start, there hadn't even been a proposal, merely the assumption he'd devote the remainder of his days to her. He supposed it was the least he could do considering his child was growing in her womb, he was going to be a _father._ David grimaced at the start of a headache forming in the dead center of his forehead. The woman nearly drove him mad daily with the onset of her cravings and mood swings, this only after a month of being ill with morning sickness. David warily approached her in the mornings and afternoons, which classically, were before and after his heavy work day. Occasionally, her mood reflected a joyous session of relaxation between them, however more often than not, she resembled a sour lemon. Flipping another page in the magazine, though he suspected the choice of his suit didn't really rely on him so much as his bride, he contemplated how things would go from now on.

After hours of flipping, shuffling, scowling, and sighing over suits he managed to pick one slightly to his preference and showed it to Julia.

"_That? _You want to wear that?!"

David couldn't escape the room fast enough to avoid Julia's outbursts or the book he felt collide with his shoulder. As suspected, the decision of which suit he'd wear was not entirely up to him. Leaving with a parting glance over his shoulder, the normally stoic man mused if Julia's temper was always on the edge or if it was merely the baby throwing her off her typical emotions. Fingertips pressed to his forehead once more as he vacated the house and went to the shrine to enjoy the quiet testosterone filled atmosphere Haji provided.

He found the Chevalier absent by the time he arrived, eyes lingering on the jacket draped over Saya's cocoon. The Red Shield member settled down on the edge of the altar within the shrine, he'd wait for Haji to return while he enjoyed the silence.

-----

Haji briskly walked toward the shrine with a bundle of blue wrappings carried easily in one hand, the bandaged one tucked out of sight in his pocket. Today his jacket was missing leaving him in the slightly frilly white shirt and black dress pants. The women in the market nearly fainted at his approach, even the vendor couldn't resist teasing him more than normal before surrendering the rose in exchange for his card. Joel may have been amused with the timing of his purchases, but the women in the market were falling over themselves to catch a glimpse of him 'under dressed'. Black locks of shoulder length hair fluttered in his wake, teasing onlookers with their waving, promising a silky feeling to match their appearance. Lacking his jacket, Haji stood out worse than usual because he broke his typical aloof pattern of going in, purchasing the flower, and leaving. Minor mishaps continued to interrupt his schedules, delaying him from returning to the shrine. In a way, the fact he continued to find interruptions on his return home brought his lips into a faint frown.

"Mr. Handsome with a frown?" A feminine voice to his side called out, stepping into sight. "What would someone so handsome have a reason to frown over?"

Haji turned his azure gaze from the sky to the earth, focusing on the short girl with black hair tied at her waist with a red clasp. The frown on his face deepened when she matched his pace to stroll along side him. She continued to crane her neck out as she examined his conflicting facial display, "Either way, you're still handsome, even with a frown."

Pausing, the Chevalier paused to regard the tag along. "Who are you?"

"Well, you do have a lovely voice! Mitsuko was right!" Brown eyes sparkled with mischief up at him, her hands clasped behind her back as she gazed into his blue eyes. Haji felt scrutinized by those brown eyes, the amount of interest in them silently setting off every alarm in the back of his head about women. Stepping back twice, Haji bowed, "Excuse me," and tried to make his way from her as quickly as possible. The girl only side stepped to intercept him, "Now wait a moment."

The Chevalier paused again, washing all the emotion from his face in the act. The fact a girl other than Saya attempted to order him around was not boding well for him.

"You're the man who plays the cello at that music shop down a ways, aren't you?"

A nod was her only answer as he was not inclined to continue the conversation.

"You play so beautifully, who was your instructor?"

"A friend."

"Oh. Perhaps I know him! But, you're not from here are you?"

Haji merely shook his head, assuming a rather bored expression supposing her questioning could last for hours if he let it, "Excuse me, but I have an engagement." Once more he stepped around her without sparing another ounce of his time on her and continued down the path.

"Rude. Are you going to see your lady friend? Well, good bye Mr. Handsome!" The girl raised her hand and waved a farewell, but she didn't stop following him, Haji noted. He had a personal little stalker, while the girl was definitely human, he perceived her overly infatuated personality was a guise. The Chiropteran diverted his trail away from the shrine until his stalker had given up with the distance he covered without tiring. Routines were bad, especially when dedicated fans started to pay visits heedless of their object of infatuation's need for personal space. Azure eyes turned heavenward before he leaped into the trees, vanishing from the pathway. Over an hour wasted trying to dodge the girl, he brooded internally, drifting through the trees on a swift route back the way he came, the bundle held to his chest.

By the time he reached the shrine, David was asleep near Saya's cocoon though he jerked awake with a pistol pointed at the door frame by the time Haji placed a step into the chambers. "Haji," murmured David with relief, answered by his nod when he holstered the pistol.

"Aren't you behind schedule for her rose?" David gestured to the package, only earning a cold glance from Haji, "Something happen?"

"I was being followed," he spoke quietly, unwrapping the rose package with care, laying the blue scraps in a pile beside Saya. The rose was as beautiful as the rest, just as pink and large as its predecessors. "Here?" Again, another nod while he withdrew his jacket from the cocoon and replaced it with a rose. "I misled her by walking somewhere else for an hour. She relented her attention and left."

"Her?"

"A girl with black hair and brown eyes."

"Hm. Did you catch her name?"

"No. She wasn't forthcoming with her name."

Haji regarded the blond man with displeasure when he heard his laugh, "Well, what was she 'forthcoming' with then Haji?"

Stoically, gazing anywhere, but at the man, Haji muttered his distaste with a single word, "_Herself_."

David stepped out of reach with another chuckle, "Pretty blunt. Julia conceded I was horrible at interpreting her hints and was rather blunt in her own way as well." Haji tilted is head with interest, "Oh?" Leaning against the dusty walls, David folded his arms, "She wore a rather low cut revealing dress in Vietnam to get my attention. When Lewis complimented her first, instead of my noticing, she ended up throwing her medical book at me the next day when I inquired twice about Saya's sleep cycles. Apparently I wasn't paying attention to her answers well enough. Her aim is better than most."  
Cleverly, Haji peered at the member of Red Shield with a knowing glance, "What did she throw today?"

"A wedding book," the man sighed, burying his face in his hands, "women are crazy Haji."

The Chevalier's only response was the slight curve of his lips at David's momentary misery.


	9. Lady In Waiting, Chpt 9

_A/N: Please read and review with any comments you feel you would like to add, don't be scared to contact me with suggestions, I'm open to all. Thank you to everyone who appreciates the effort of keeping Haji and Saya to the Blood Plus character personalities. I recently purchased Blood: The Last Vampire, I'm going to sit on it for a few days before getting around to watching._

_Swannprincess and DarkRuby: Thank you for reading! I'm glad you enjoyed it, please feel free to offer suggestions! _

**Lady In Waiting**

A cube of rosin glided over the horse hair bow with precision strokes, evenly deposited over the strands of horse hair. The cellist ensconced the rosin at the head of the cello case before hefting an arm into position around the instrument, eyes focused on the musical notations placed on a stand in front of him. Every couple of days for two hours before noon, Haji paid a visit to the music shop and performed random pieces of pre-selected music for Avery's customers in exchange for special cellist music he took with him when he left. Certain select pieces Haji refused to play for Avery's customers permitting the man to know he wished to play them for 'her' alone.

Avery respected his desire to perform the slower songs for his true love, as he'd nicknamed the disclosed interest of his cellist. Only the few Red Shield members aware of his presence heard him practicing the pieces in the seclusion of Saya's chambers at the shrine. Joel passed suggestions on pieces to play through David and Julia for Haji, knowing the man was hunting through musical history for another song which Saya could claim as a favorite. Though habits die hard, Haji played her song at least once a day before twilight stole away with the sun in the evenings.

A single errant lock of black hair fell down his forehead with a slight wave before he drew the bow evenly across the strings, his fingers gliding into the positioning necessary to follow Bach's notations. Avery sat raptly at his desk watching the man turn the old instrument into a masterpiece. Pure emotion flowed from Haji's compositions into his audience, compelling them through a sequence of sensations Avery wasn't quite sure his recent patron realized.

The customers traveled from towns nearby to witness the inspiring performance by Haji Goldschmidt. Occasionally, people were so motivated by the flood of emotions triggered through his cello that they left with tears in their eyes, but never did any of them curse him, instead they applauded him for his beautiful skill. Never did anyone wish Haji anything, save the best intentions, and at times, a few wizened women would huddle near him to whisper encouraging comments.

"Only a person who's known love and fought for it could play those pieces with the emotions you poured into it, she's a lucky lady, to have your devotion. Some day, she'll realize it, young man."

Hands clapped his shoulders after their wisdom passed onto him and they'd leave. Seldom few returning to witness his next performance, as if the solo piece sated them for a lifetime. Haji sincerely doubted his miniature concerts triggered emotional nostalgics, though the amount of people congratulating him or thanking him for his time grew tremendously after word spread.

From the market place where he purchased roses, girls would spy on him through the shop windows, allowing the bolder girls to take up seats inside the shop. Each girl wore a large pink blossom on their clothes, pinned with a blue ribbon. The sight drew Haji's attention frequently away from the music. The Chevalier had no intention of being corralled by excessive groups of young women and would excuse himself around noon to evacuate the shop holding a folder of music to his chest. Avery did his best to keep the young ladies occupied in the shop to assist Haji in his escape, but at times, there was nothing he could do to stop the flock of them from scooting after the pale cellist.

The shopkeeper still referred to Haji by his formal name, addressing the young ladies to keep themselves honorable and away from his recent performer lest they chase him away with their not so coy attentions. A chorus of sighs echoed through his shop at his scoldings, "Now see here, if you keep harassing him, he's liable to quit playing, ladies. Besides, Mr. Goldschmidt is unavailable, he has an interest preoccupying his attention."

"Do you know who she is?" cried a short girl with long black hair and dark brown eyes, curiosity plastered across her face.

"Well no."

"Have you seen her?" inquired another girl, bobbing up and down to display her bounciness.

"No, but Mr. Goldschmidt takes music home for her to listen to."

"He lives with her?!" they all exclaimed together in unison, providing the very imitation of a well trained choir. Every girl in the town set their sights on claiming the young cellist for themselves, a task laid out months ago when Haji first began his performances for customers every few days at ten in the morning.

Avery wished the last statement never poured from his lips, but each girl hung on his last phrase. "I.. i.. Mr. Goldschmidt is very private about his life, ladies, perhaps you should keep out of the way? How would you all feel if you were his lady and you knew all the other women were pawing at him while you weren't in sight?"

Apparently, his rhetorical remark met with their understanding because each girl glanced at the others, nodding. They all decided in seconds of each other that Haji deserved letters of apology for their overwhelming attention. Choked, due to their sincerity and the amount of girls remaining in front of him, he felt his face burn, he knew Haji well enough to guess the cellist was going to hurt him. The mental image of mounds of paper sweeping Haji away into a sea of apology letters drowned in perfume and red lip prints cheered him up, if only a bit.

Avery's lack of follow up to their agreements only further ignited the curiosity they had for the cellist. One girl spoke up with her conclusion as to why Haji had been collecting pieces of music. "Maybe she's dying and he's playing music to ease her passing!"

"That's so lovely, he's such a gentleman! What if it was his fiancée?"

"Just because she's sick doesn't mean she's dead yet!"

"Oh! Silly, I just meant, if she's sick and about to pass on, he must be lonely. It's so sad to see him always by himself!"

The girl with black hair bounced up to the crowd of women, "What if we all tried to include him in more things around town? Isn't the Chrysanthemum Festival next week?" Each girl brightened with ideas, a few pulled away to talk amongst themselves. Avery slid his hand over his eyes at the scene developing in front of him with a sense of dread. "Takara, aren't you hosting the races this year? We could volunteer him for the competition!"

Petite with shiny black hair falling to her waist, the girl named Takara clapped her hands before her, "Yes, I am! Dad's company sponsored me this year for it."

Mitsuko, the taller of the two with shorter black hair, had suggested the festival, "Then let's make plans to invite him, come!" Whisked away on clouds of energy grafted from their great plan, both girls left the shop with the intention of stalking Haji. Little to Mitsuko's knowledge, Takara had a very good idea as to where the cellist disappeared off to.

Yesterday, on a whim, she followed the cellist from the flower shop curiosity asking her to inquire why he was frowning. _'He's always so distant and somewhat sad,'_ she thought to herself, _'like a piece of him was missing. Everyone feels it when he plays, it fills the part of us we didn't know was missing, and when he stops playing.. it hurts.'_

_A/N: Chrysanthemum Festival is also referred to as Double Ninth Festival which can be researched on Wikipedia's search engine. It's a Chinese holiday, but most Asian cultures celebrate it. Typically the holiday is in reflection to the Yin and Yang symbol with the Chrysanthemum day celebration as being overpowered by Yang. Therefore, celebrators run up mountains in a race to reach the top to drink Chrysanthemum tea and wear wreaths made of their flowers. It is also a day when citizens pay their respects to those who have departed and moved on._

_It also happens to help ease the storyline toward Saya's shrine and draw Haji back into his protective Chevalier role while she sleeps._

_'The girl' is finally named as Takara, she's been showing an interest in Haji's music more so than himself. Things will make sense in further chapters, but Takara will play a minor role in the plot line. Takara's name means 'treasure'. Hope you enjoy!_


	10. Misery Loves Company, Chpt 10

_A/N: Apologies for the delay in this chapter, while taking pictures of the shoreline I slipped off and almost fell into the water. Since then I've been suffering incredible back pain which has made writing the chapter difficult. In hopes of making amends for the delay, I'm trying to make a lengthy chapter with Haji._

**Misery Loves Company**

Haji sat on a street park bench with dozens of folded notes buried in his lap, each harboring different floral scents and a few combined heavily with pungent perfume. Respectfully speaking, Haji only accepted the letters to prevent any hurt feelings, nodding in turn as girl after girl came up to him with intentions of asking him to escort them to the Chrysanthemum Festival. Several inquired if he'd be participating in the races this year which were located near Saya's resting place. Haji laid his head on his arm stretched out over the back of the park bench. A faint sigh escaping his lips, turned up at the corners in a slight grimace when the perfume wafted through his nose. It smelled worse up close than it did farther away.

Deftly, Haji wadded the note into a ball and tossed it toward the trash bin with a soft 'plunk' relaying his successful throw. _One pungent note down, several more to go_, he mentally calculated. The group of girls accosted him shortly after his performance at the music shop, distracting him from his obligatory venture into the market just after noon to purchase the largest and prettiest rose available in pink. Storms threatened the skies in Okinawa, yet it chose today to rain, and it lasted a few hours. The Chevalier played the cello through the storm, soothing the tension, and gloominess of visitors wandering in drenched from the cold rain with his performance. Typically, the rain storms occurred in short bursts, dwindling out around early afternoon and returning around the evening. Thus, the Chevalier was able to purchase a rose at the regular time.

Today, however, things went against his previous intentions. When he found himself trapped in the store with the group of girls praising him, inquiring about the girl he took music for, Haji could only glance at the very quiet Avery tucked away behind the cashier's machine. Even now, his lips twitch with annoyance at the shop keeper for speaking so boldly about Saya. Every girl wanted to know how long he'd known her, if she was returning his attentions, that they were available if he so desired. He did _not _desire any of their attention, innocent or not.

By the time Haji managed to escape their unending list of questions, he found the market closed for the day due to the surplus of rain flooding the grounds. It was how he ended up at the park bench with his head laid back to the side on his arm, brooding internally over the outcome. The humidity caused the letters decorated in floral scents, delivered on precious stationary, to crumple at the edges. Not a single one was opened or would be any time soon. In fact, the letters transpired into a therapeutic way of spending the remaining hours of the day by rolling one into a ball in his bandaged fist and throwing it straight into the trash.

Before dusk could set in, there remained only a handful of letters, damp with moisture from the seat and air, that would meet the same fate as the rest. Haji only took the effort to ensure his group of female fans were no where in sight when he set to the task of disposing the letters one at a time. After all, he was not cruel by nature. For countless decades he served at Saya's side without question, obeying her every desire, whim, command, until that night. Another note crumpled between his clenched fingers, it too flew into the trash can within seconds. Plenty of patience enabled Haji to weather through the thirty years between Saya's active periods, permitting him to adapt to her bouts of amnesia.

The humid atmosphere caused his fine black hair to curl at the edges, providing excessive waves where they normally weren't. It hardly bothered him, to sit out in the damp area shortly after it rained, without care of catching a cold. As a Chevalier, diseases, illnesses, and infections never troubled him, he was by all accounts immortal now that Diva was dead. He knew for certain if he was bled to death, he could perish, but the chances of it occurring now were non-existent. Still, he never failed in observing his surroundings. Event at current, Haji was aware of the footsteps behind him slowly trudging through the damp grass. The footfalls were light, steady, which could only mean it was another girl.

In less time than it took for the heart to beat a count of five, Haji was standing with the letters in hand, turned sideways to glance casually at the girl frozen in place by his swift action. He suspected his hair gliding across his shoulders unbound and settling back into place made the girl's breath hitch, but he highly doubted it was the only reason she resembled a deer caught in front of a car. Neatly, Haji buried the bandaged hand in his pocket, the remaining hand holding the sealed invitations at his side, limply.

"Mr. Goldschmidt?" Her voice was shaky, but curious.

He recognized her instantly, the long black hair and dark brown eyes, his own azure gaze narrowed perceptively at her. Before him stood the girl who followed him relentlessly toward Saya's chambers until he detoured for an hour. '_Persistent,'_ he thought.

"Yes?"

The girl took a tentative step toward him before bowing with arms stretched out to him. Her pale hands cradled a delicate package wrapped in blue, a small note card attached to the top of the bundle. The Chevalier's eyes widened a fraction, reverting to normal before she stood back up, still offering the package.

"My aunt is the florist you buy roses from, she offered her regrets at not being able to remain open today and sent this for you. I thought I'd catch you in the market place after your performance because she closed during the morning, but you weren't there."

Haji briskly strolled from behind the bench to stand in front of the girl, laying his hand on the package delicately. "I was delayed." Takara shuffled the bundle into his upturned hand. "At Avery's Shoppe?" He dropped his head in a slight nod, lifting the bundle up a bit to tuck it against his chest, "When will your aunt's booth be re-opened so I can pay for this?"

"Oh. No, it's fine. I bought it, I wanted to apologize for following you the other day," Takara blushed faintly, her expression of embarrassment was kin to Saya's facial features. Haji glanced from the bundle to the girl before stumbling over a response when he heard Takara's stomach growl, "T-then I can venture to pay for your lunch."

With hand over stomach, Takara back peddled from Haji protesting, "Oh, no, no. I can't have you do that, I know you wanted a rose to take back to her..."

"You provided me with a favor, allow me to provide your stomach a favor in exchange. What do you want to eat?"

"I-if you insist Mr. Goldschmidt." Her brown eyes flickered around the area, "How about that?" Of course, the place the girl pointed to was Kai's inherited restaurant, the Omoro. Haji briefly glanced toward the sky wondering if there was a fate laid out for him to continue being diverted back to meeting with Kai. As for Takara, she assumed the weather preoccupied the cellist's attention during his dreamy expression at the clouds overhead.

"If that is what you prefer," Haji softly murmured, tripping over his desire to say '_If that is what you wish.'_ He followed behind the girl quietly, listening to her talk about her aunt's regrets about closing until the market was emptied out.

"She was pretty upset about the rain pouring so heavily today, it flooded the place before anyone really realized how quickly it was pooling up. They tried to use sandbags to divert the water running off into the booths, but they figured it out a bit late. A lot of vendors ended packing their shops up to protect investments. Auntie thinks she will have to wait a few days before she reopens her shop, she has this large refrigerator for the flowers to keep them fresh."

"Then I will need to find a different florist."

"What? Oh. No, Aunt also told me you're welcome to drop by her house to get your flowers until she reopens. Here's the card she wrote her address on, see?"

Takara pointed at the card with her aunt's apology on the bundle, on the reverse side was her address. "Just go there when you need another pink flower if you can't make it to the shop." Her smile was pure and innocent, a flashback to the past for her silent companion.

Omoro's door still resembled the same door he'd seen Saya walk through every day for a year, even after the Chiropteran destroyed the front of the building and wounded Saya's adoptive father. His hand held the door open for Takara, following her into the room filled with chattering, and the sound of food sizzling. The aroma of freshly baked bread and steaming stir fry invaded his nose, while he could not consume food, he did enjoy the sensational smell. Reflecting over the past few months, Haji noted the smell of cooked rice balls, the stir fried meals, and the typical side additions were slightly missed if only because they reminded him of Saya's penchant for large meals.

His companion for the time settled at a table away from the rest of the establishment, "Mr. Goldschimdt, let's sit here." Takara opened the menu while he occupied the seat opposite her, turning his face from the counter where the cook was facing away from his guests. He laid the bundle over his own menu, careful not to draw her attention away from the painstaking decision of what to eat. The Chevalier's lips curved at the edges, Takara provided some entertainment for his less than satisfactory day. Though the real interest remained safely tucked away in the package where it awaited it's future atop Saya's cocoon.

"What are you having?"

"I'm not hungry."

"But, you can't be serious, have you eaten at all today?" The girl peered at him inquisitively, one hand placed over her menu, obviously marking what she was debating on ordering.

"I did eat previously." He lied, azure eyes roaming over the room for anything of interest. The bulletin board by the door held several photos of Kai, the children, George, Riku, and a three-some picture of Riku, Kai and Saya before the accident. Haji's breath slowed gradually at the sight of another older picture surrounded in a black frame. The Victorian dressed couple in the picture were none other than Haji and Saya back at the Zoo when he was coerced into remaining still long enough for Joel to have his picture taken for a photo album Saya wanted.

Saya's gown at the time was a soft pink, her favorite and ironically, the same dress he'd seen her in when he first met her. However, his attire changed as he aged, a suit selected by her one afternoon during a shopping venture. Saya said he was 'dashing' in it and Joel finding some amusement in the statement purchased it for Haji that afternoon.

Takara caught his interest in the bulletin board and strained her eyes to see what it held, "What's that?"

"Just pictures."

Haji tapped her menu for a distraction, "What are you ordering?"

As he spoke, his voice carried over through the room despite the soft murmur it sprung from. The cook paused in his preparations and slowly lifted his chin, eyes widening slightly as he searched the room. It took all of a few moments for him to spot the Chevalier seated with the young woman resembling Saya. Kai's heart skipped at the sight of them together, confused since Saya entered her long sleep only months ago. The Red Shield member put down the pot of sticky rice, wiping his hands on a towel casually strewn over his shoulder. Steps weighted with uncertainty led him slowly to Haji's side, "Haji?"

The Chevalier heard the younger man advancing upon him, felt the accelerated pulse in his veins, smelled the excitement mingled with fear and confusion before he confirmed it in one single glance at the Omoro's cook. Kai's mouth went dry, Haji appeared no different than that night in the Metropolitan Opera House. His eyes scrutinized everything from the curling of his hair, how it hung over his shoulders, to the bandaged hand kept out of sight. The only change from Saya's first Chevalier he could see at first review was the change of suit.

"Do you know Mr. Goldschmidt?" Takara's soft voice broke the silent exchange between the two men, one look stoic and withdrawn while the other was the epitome of surprise.

"Mr. Goldschmidt?"

"You're talking to him like you know him...," she remarked casually, offering a faintly aloof expression. Haji leaned back in the chair, tilting his head faintly at Kai, "We've met."

"Oh! That's right, you said you ate earlier, did you eat here?"

Kai felt his throat tighten at how casually Haji dismissed their past, he felt the Chevalier pulling away from him despite sharing a similar interest. The young man told Saya he'd never forget those she loved, who helped her, or "him" the one who loved her. A hand slightly damp from the hot water rested on Haji's hand, putting on a false smile for the girl who indeed reminded him very much of Saya, "Yes, he did. He loved our stir fry. And the obentou. Do you want an order?"

"Please!"

"Coming up then," he grinned down at the girl, squeezing Haji's shoulder through an exchange of the eyes, letting the Chiropteran know he demanded answers, soon.

If the Chevalier interpreted the message clearly, he offered no reaction. Kai ventured into the cooking area while snapping his cell phone open to call David.

"Hello?"

"Did you know he was back?"

"Who?"

"You _know_ who."

"Haji?"

"Yes, did you _know_?"

Kai's fist tightened around his towel, using it to safely clasp his hand over a handle of steaming rice from a stove pot. "Yes, we knew."

"_We?_" The pot of rice nearly tipped over in the sink, but righted itself with the practiced hand of Kai.

"Me. Julia. Joel. We knew. Haji's getting a new start at life. Don't get in the way."

"He's been back for how long and why wasn't I told?"

The phone on the other end quieted dramatically as David thought over his response, "I want the truth, David."

A deep sigh followed Kai's demand, "Since a few days after Saya went to sleep."

"So, we're talking months here. Haji's been around for months?"

"Yes."

Kai dropped the pot of rice on the counter with a loud slap, shuffling food with a spoon onto a plate and dropping obentou over it. "Why wasn't I told?"

"We felt it was enough for you to take care of Saya's nieces without worrying about Haji being around. He has no interest in them, only in Saya." Kai took several slow breaths to evaporate his temper, it was a talent he started working on lately knowing patience served him better than quick knee jerk reactions.

"Why is he going by Haji Goldschmidt now?"

"Don't you remember in Joel's Diary? Haji was picked by Amshel as Saya's partner. We are providing them each with the alias of Goldschmidt family names because they are part f the original Goldschmidt family. Red Shield is still fighting the remaining Chiropteran out breaks Kai, but when Saya wakes up, it's Red Shield's hope she can live a normal life without fighting. Haji's learning to adapt to a world without fighting for Saya. He deserves a future free of fighting as much as Saya, if not more. He never sleeps, he has only one desire and that is to serve his Queen. If you're going to cause _issues_ then say so now. We'll relocate him and Saya--"

"That's not necessary. Say, David, if Haji's learning how to live in this world... where's he been?"

"With Saya. I've got to go."

_Click. 'So he's been at the shrine... this entire time, I knew he was bring her those flowers and not Julia like David said. Only Haji had that blue ribbon which he's not wearing right now,' _Kai stared at the Chevalier in thought.

Kai never preferred David's method of ending a call so suddenly, but he understood, Julia was further along in her pregnancy and there were complications developing. He swept the food ladened plate off the counter and whisked it away to the girl sitting across from Haji laughing. The sight tugged at his emotions, yet he fought for a middle ground in his feelings about Haji returning. The lone Chevalier seemed attentive to the girl, though his hand never swayed from the bundle laying on his menu.

"Here we are," Kai placed her plate down and nudged it over. "Fresh from the stove!"

Takara thanked him just as her stomach growled it's impatience and dug into the food with Haji watching over her momentarily then adjusting his azure gaze to Kai. Kai jerked his head toward the back room and wandered off.

"Excuse me," Haji murmured to Takara, slipping off after Kai with the bundle pressed to his chest. Precious commodities tended to rarely leave Haji's sight or side for too long. The Chiropteran felt it was inevitable meeting up with Kai.

Takara eyed both men with curiosity, though her brows knitted together in confusion. "What odd balls...," she murmured around a piece of obentou, eyes laid on Haji's back. His hair was drying out straighter, swishing faintly across his shoulders in the rhythm of his gait. When he spared one last glance over his shoulder at her, Takara averted her eyes in humility for catching herself staring after him again, but she thought she almost noticed a smile before he ducked into the room after the cook.

_A/N: How was that? Feel free to review with any comments and please let me know if Haji stayed in character._


	11. Mucking into the Past, Chpt 11

_A/N: Now that my back is mainly healed from my fall, I had another mishap take place, a rather emotional one. My grandmother has passed away and now after a long drawn out couple of days my mom's plane flight to Vietnam has been arranged. Mom will be missing my birthday again this year but for worst reasons. Thank you all for the wait._

_**Mucking into the Past**_

Haji felt the tension emanating from Kai before entering the back room of the Omoro with a touch of apprehension for the onslaught of questions he knew Kai would want answered. His mind drifted away from the matter and the pair of eyes glaring at him once the door was closed, there was little he could do except let the young man vent at him for being left out of the decisions by Joel. Once the red head finished his rant, he folded his arms and simply glared at the Chevalier standing before him with very little attention focused on him.

"I feel as if I'm speaking to a brick wall Haji."

The Chevalier blandly gazed down at the man, azure eyes offering no sympathy, no remorse, just emptiness.

"Is this what Saya would have wanted, a withdrawn, reclusive Chevalier?"

Azure eyes narrowed discretely at the human.

"She wanted to live with us, the least you could have done after hurting her with your absence was to let me know you were alive instead of holing up in that shrine by yourself."

"I am a servant of Saya. It is by her side I remain."

Kai's temper frayed considerably, his hand clenched at his side, "Then why weren't you there when she was fighting off the sleep? You hurt her Haji."

Haji tilted his head sideways a bit, not gazing down at the human any longer, but at the wall, thoughtful, "I was unable to reach her in time. I do regret it." The Chevalier stood immobile with his hand resting inside a pocket, a single bandage exposed to prying eyes that would wander over his immaculate figure. Kai curled his fingers tighter than before, "I suppose what matters is that you're here now, isn't that what I'm suppose to say, Haji? But, right now, all I can see is red. I'm angry that everyone, including you, kept me out of this. Didn't you want to see Saya's nieces?"

"No."

Kai took a step back with a slow blink, "Why?" Haji observed Kai as he assessed the situation, the flickering emotions dancing across his face. Kai perceived the world as a human typically would, expecting Saya's nieces to mature into adulthood as humans, not Chiropterans. For all his hopes, Kai realized the error of raising the girls as humans with no knowledge of Chiropterans. They'd share the same fate their mother and aunt shared merely from a lack of heritage, self-identity, and knowledge of what previously occurred. The girls only had a future if they were permitted the forbidden knowledge their relatives hadn't known.

"Because...they'll grow up.. and want a family," Kai heavily leaned against the wall feeling defeated. When Riku changed, he fought it, pretending his little brother was still human, but in the end it was useless. Now Haji forced him to realize the true weight of his declaration to take care of the twins. Given the chance at living without knowing their blood heritage, they would grow up and realize all too soon when they stopped aging. Undoubtedly, the girls would inquire until he buckled about their uniqueness and if he held out for too long, they would resent the dishonesty.

"Yes. They'll want a family, something I will not help them with and Red Shield would not either. They are queens; the last generation as far as Red Shield is concerned. Would they permit them to make Chevaliers and breed? I doubt it. I will not be an instrument for little girl's whims unless ordered by Saya."

"And... Saya would never do it to you."

The Chevalier inclined his head in affirmation to the conclusion, "Therefore I have requested to be as far from their future as possible, consider it the removal of... 'temptation'." Haji tilted his head to the side, maintaining a bit of arrogance with the gesticulation, "Are we in agreement, Kai?" Azure eyes remained intently focused on the younger man as time passed, watching the resolution on Kai's face as he debated how to raise the girls and the lack of Haji's assistance if they should decide they wanted a family. He also mulled over the knowledge Red Shield held over the reproductive capabilities of Chiropterans because of his brother's sacrifice as Saya's youngest Chevalier. Joel and Julia were working together in trying to determine if previous generation of Chevaliers were able to impregnate receptive future generation Queens based on the knowledge of Nathan and Diva's couplings yet the lack of offspring from the unions.

If that were the case, then Haji would have no other fear from the new Queens, even death was impossible by their blood. Another lesson provided by Nathan's survival of Saya's blood coated sword puncturing his Chiropteran form. Nathan was spotted on film during the hectic cycle of organizing the mess left behind by Amshel, leaving Red Shield to tidy up the remnants of the ruin. The rediscovery of his presence bred into a highly displeased Julia and further embargos of questions that needed answers.

----

In the Omoro's dining room, Takara slowly dug into the obentou with an abating hunger for food due to the increased curiosity over Mr. Goldschmidt's temporary departure through the back of the room. Sliding a piece of the food between her lips, the girl bore her weighted gaze into the closed door waiting for a sign of life, a head to poke out to wave at, something in which would take her mind off the alienation.

The two men were odd together in her opinion, since she rarely saw Mr. Goldschmidt anywhere outside the floral side of the market place and Avery's music shop. Their connection with each other prior to their recent acquaintance drew a bit of her curiosity toward the matter. Although, internally, she admitted the red head was rather attractive even with bits of food on his apron and smudges from the oven all over him. WhereHaji was quite and handsome, the Omoro's owner was vivacious with life and a feisty disposition attributed with his red hair. They were two opposites of a coin, neither matching the other for all she observed, but absolutely individual in their personalities and appearances.

"Have you seen the recent music charts? There's that artist who disappeared on the top ten!"

"Which artist?"

"The singer who debuted at the Metropolitan Opera House!"

"Her name was Diva right?"

"That's right, Diva, I hear she was quite a handful too."

"What happened to her?"

"It's strange, she seems to have disappeared after her performance when things started happening at the Met. Did you know some people are saying there were monsters running around in it?"

Takara listened to the conversation between the three men eating their meals by the window, "Well, no matter if she survived or not, her manager should be making a fortune, she's at the top of the music industry, there's talk about releasing her CD single soon."

"I'll have to check it out, I missed her performance because my wife was having a baby, and we were both going to go. We're thankful we didn't make it after we heard about the collapse of the support beams. All that talk of monsters, ludicrous!" A fourth man muttered, leaning back in his chair to eyeball the men collectively bantering each other about Diva's performance and the rumors about her absence. They each waved off the older man in the chair, "The older generation is suppose to be more superstitious than us, what happened to your traditions old man?"

The man waved chopsticks at the younger men, "Out the window when I married an American woman. They'll set you straight about all that foolery."

Takara softly laughed behind a napkin at the display especially when cat calling developed into inquiries if the older man preferred sun bleached hair to the typical dark hair of their Asian women.

Takara reflected on the night of Diva's concert where candy was given out to the audience just before the show, she'd have to get the CD since her mother was ill that night and she had to leave before hearing Diva sing. It was further so unfortunate that she wasn't able to go to the Met to see her second live performance either due to a business gathering at her parents' house for her father's promotion.

-----

"Haji... You can't just stay in Saya's shrine with George. When she wakes up, she'll need a real home. If not with the twins and I, then with you somewhere else, yet not too far away she'll regret the change. Remember she wished to live with all of us."

The Chevalier merely inclined his head to Kai, submitting to the point made, "And.. how do you propose I do this?"

The red head almost instantly reverted to his boyish charm with the smile he flashed the Chiropteran, "By getting your own place and living in this world, of course!" Before the Chevalier had any hope of escaping, Kai was laying out the groundwork he'd later approach Joel with for setting Haji up in his own residency not far from Kai and the girls by human standards. Briefly Kai touched on the subject of Haji working as Solomon once worked, as the head of a corporate office, until he recalled Haji required no source of income for as long as Red Shield prospered.

Before Haji could return to his guest, Kai struck him with another grin, "You know Haji, suits these days aren't so, archaic. Have you ever worn anything else?"

Slipping through the door to the restaurant, Haji spared Saya's older brother with his impassive azure gaze, "No."


End file.
